Jaguars nab home field in playoffs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars won the game, won the division and earned home-field advantage through the playoffs Sunday.

What the Jaguars (14-2) failed to do with their 24-7 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals was erase doubts that cropped up after last week's blowout loss to Tennessee.

It was no fault of Jay Fiedler, who replaced the injured Mark Brunell and threw for 317 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL start. Jimmy Smith had 14 catches to match Marvin Harrison's NFL high this season. Smith and Keenan McCardell each surpassed 100 yards receiving for the third time this year.

So why were the Bengals (4-12), a bad team with nothing to play for, still hanging around well into the fourth quarter?

But mostly it was because of a problem that has plagued the Jaguars all season lack of finishing ability inside the opponent's 20. Four of their seven trips there resulted in three points, two missed field goals and a boatload of question marks.

On the first failed trip, coach Tom Coughlin replaced Fred Taylor with James Stewart, who took the ball for his first carry of the game and fumbled into the end zone.Titans 47, Steelers 36

PITTSBURGH Indianapolis and St. Louis came out flat and ineffective in their final games before the playoffs. Don't count Tennessee among that bunch.

The Titans scored 17 points in barely a minute of the second quarter with Steve McNair and Eddie George already out, then wrapped up the franchise's best season ever by beating Pittsburgh 47-36 Sunday.

Jacksonville (14-2) locked up the AFC Central title with a 24-7 victory over Cincinnati, making the game meaningless for the Titans. They didn't play like it as their defense generated 16 points and set up another score in tuning up for Saturday's home playoff game against Buffalo.

The Titans, who played as the Houston Oilers until 1997, are the first 13-3 team since divisional play began in 1970 to not win its division.SUBHEAD: